


Chemistry

by annieoakley1



Category: Hunger Games (2012), Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 09:23:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annieoakley1/pseuds/annieoakley1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A week away from graduating college, Katniss runs into her former high school teacher and first crush- Mr. Mellark.  An Everlark oneshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was a warm, late spring night, and after suffering through her last final as an undergrad, Katniss was more than ready for a drink.  Normally everyone in her study group would laugh at her when she ordered a Redd’s, but tonight she was blissfully alone and she was going to get whatever she wanted.  It was a reward for all her work, and a celebration for being a week away from receiving her BA.

She would have preferred to pick up a six-pack at the grocery store and to stay in with a good book, but her roommate was still “saying goodbye” to her college boyfriend, and Katniss was pretty sure they’d be “saying goodbye” all night.  So she hit up a small pub she was always curious about, her favorite hardcover in hand, and settled in for a nice night solo.

Two Redd’s later, she was nearly halfway through the novel (it was her third reread) and her stomach was demanding more than the apple ale she’d been consuming.  She left her booth to grab a menu at the bar, already trying to decide if she wanted traditional pub food or just good ol’ American grease.  The place was slowly starting to come alive, and she was glad she secured a nice corner spot early.  She started reading the menu on her way back to her seat.  Bangers and mash?  Man, she kind of wanted to order it just so she could  _say_  it.

“Peeta!”

She heard someone calling that name right as she sat down, and she could have sworn her heart stopped at the sound of it.  Peeta.  Peeta Mellark.

Mr. Mellark.

_Mrs. Mellark.  Mr. and Mrs. Peeta Mellark._

_Katniss rolled her eyes when she caught a glimpse of her lab partner’s notebook.  Delly Cartwright was nice, but delusional, and she didn’t get why everyone was falling all over the new teacher.  He might be young and built and kind of cute, but he was completely off-limits.  Why daydream about something that was never going to happen?_

She shook her head and looked back at the menu.  It was probably a different Peeta, anyway.  That was perfectly plausible.

A cheeseburger sounded good.   And French fries.

She caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye and there went her heart again.  It was definitely her Peeta.  Well, not  _her_ Peeta. 

Fuck, now she was going to have to order a bottle of scotch with her food.

It had been nearly four years since she last saw Mr. Peeta Mellark, and dammit if he still didn’t look just as good as he did then.  She bit her lip, surreptitiously stealing glances at him from behind her menu.  He was dressed in a shirt and tie, pared down with dark wash blue jeans that clung to him in the best way imaginable.  His blond hair was still thick and gently tousled, and he wore a pair of black framed glasses similar to the ones she remembered so fondly.  Why couldn’t he be like Mr. Chaff?  She ran into him in the supermarket last month and the balding man had gained about 40 pounds.

She lifted the menu higher to hide herself, and she could already feel her face burning.  While she hadn’t seen him in nearly 4 years, she did still think about him. Embarrassingly enough, she even tried to track him down on Facebook, but his account was set to the highest privacy settings, and his profile photo was a damn picture of the chemical structure of cinnamaldehyde.  But she was not about to send a friend’s request.

It wasn’t as if she still harbored feelings for him after all this time, but he did occasionally sneak into her thoughts, even when she had other things (or men) to think about.

**

She couldn’t afford to think about anything but her singular goal.  It was high school, and she had a simple but rigid plan: study hard, get good grades, and earn a scholarship.  It required great effort on her part, but she was a focused student, and though history was her forte, she excelled in all subjects.  Freshman Earth Science?  Easy A.  Advanced Biology? She sailed through that class.   Elective Botany?  She didn’t even have to study in that one.

So in the 11th grade, when the esteemed Mr. Beetee announced his upcoming retirement, she decided to save Honors Chemistry for her senior year so she could learn physics from the man her best friend called ‘a revolutionary thinker.’  The guidance counselor, Haymitch Abernathy, offered his schedule blessing with a dismissive wave, and she was set.

Entering the 12th grade, Katniss was confident that the chemistry class would be a breeze.  It was, after all, a junior level course, and since Ms. Wiress retired with Mr. Beetee to sail the world or whatever, it was now being taught by a teacher straight out of graduate school.  She figured they could just hand her the valedictorian title now.

That first day, all the girls in class panted a little when Peeta Mellark walked through the door.  He was all dressed up in black slacks, a light green dress shirt, and a black sweater vest and tie, and Katniss knew the look was to make a good first impression. She anticipated a nervous newbie, but he grinned at the class, clapped his hands together, and asked with a striking amount of confidence if everyone was ready to enter the exciting world of chemistry.

Next to her, Delly squealed happily.  Katniss didn’t get it.  Yeah, Ms. Wiress used to show up to her classes with her clothes on backwards, but it was school, not a fashion show.  She already didn’t think much of this wannabe Ralph Lauren model.

A couple weeks later, she still didn’t think much of him.  True to her promise, Katniss concentrated exclusively on her grades.  She breezed through the first quiz, which was simple memorization of the periodic table, and aced the second, slightly more difficult one, too.

Honestly, she found her teacher annoying, what with the way all the girls went crazy over him.  The way he was able to hold easy conversations with basically anyone but her didn’t do much to endear him, either, but ultimately all that mattered was her GPA.

But as the course went on, she found herself struggling more with the material.  Her jaw clenched tightly when she got another quiz back and saw it marked as 83%.  Katniss Everdeen did  _not_ get B’s.

Maybe it would help her, she thought bitterly, if he spent a little more time teaching and less discussing the last game with the football players.  She clenched her quiz in her hand and snuck a look at Delly’s paper, and her face fell when she saw the 100% and smiley face next to the girl’s neatly printed name.

Katniss sighed and turned her paper over in embarrassment.  Mr. Mellark probably hated her already; she  _did_  have a kind of reputation among the faculty, so she wouldn’t be surprised if he took an immediate dislike to her.  Oh well, the feeling was mutual.  She watched him now with barely disguised contempt as he laughed with the quarterback before he started class.  Today he was dressed in gray slacks and a blue oxford shirt, and he wore suspenders with them.  _Suspenders_ , as if he didn’t own at least four leather belts.  What an ass.  His glasses probably weren’t even prescription.  Stupid hipsters.

Katniss scowled as she watched him roll up the sleeves of his shirt right before his lecture.  She vowed immediately to ace the next quiz, and she wouldn’t even need his lessons to do it.  While he wrote notes on the dry erase board, she looked over her notes for her next class.  She was confident she could teach herself at home using the textbook.  She didn’t need this jerk at all.

The next day, as he rambled on about chapter 6, she read the next chapter of  _Heart of Darkness_  for AP English.   She got so lost in the book that she barely registered the snickering around her, and when she looked up, Mr. Mellark was staring down at her, his knuckles still tapping against her folder to get her attention.  The amused smile fell from his face as he said, “Katniss, this is chemistry, not English.” She blinked up at him as he took the book from her hands and tossed it onto his desk.  She could feel her face burning with embarrassment, but he simply walked back to the board and continued with class as if he hadn’t just humiliated her in front of everyone.

**

Realizing it was pointless to hide, she lowered the menu.  The man had to be 28 or 29 by now; he was probably married, might have a kid or two.  Besides, it was likely that he wouldn’t even remember her.  Katniss never left much of an impression on anyone, and he had to have had hundreds of students since she graduated. 

She tried to concentrate her on the food options, but his presence was too distracting.  Heaven help her, she could still feel his stare.  When she looked up, though, he didn’t look away like he always did in class.  No, he was studying her carefully, his lips slightly pursed and eyes squinting in that typical ‘Do I Know You?’ expression.  She tried to swallow her ridiculous disappointment; she  _knew_ he would forget her.

“Katniss Everdeen,” he said with a wide grin as he approached her.  Thankfully she was quickly able to cover her surprise, and even joy, that he recalled her full name. 

“Mr. Mellark,” she replied coolly, desperate to fight off a smile as he stood next to her table. 

“Still a reader,” he said, pointing to her book next to the place setting.  It figured he’d remember that; he certainly caught her with enough of them during class.

“Yes,” she replied.  “But I’m on my own time now so you can’t yell at me.”

“Oh, come on, I never  _yelled_  at you,” he laughed, taking the seat across from her.  “I probably should have, though.”  He reached across the table for her well-worn copy of  _Wolf Hall_.  “I think I read this,” he said, examining the cover.  “Or maybe part of it.”

“The second book’s my favorite.”

“Oh, there’s a sequel?”

“It’s a trilogy,” she answered, snagging the book back from him.  “I highly recommend it.”

“You’re still so haughty,” he teased.  “ _I highly recommend it_.”

She should be annoyed.  She would be with anyone else.  “So how have you been, Mr. Mellark?”

“You know, you don’t have to call me Mr. Mellark anymore, Katniss,” he said seriously.  Then he smiled again.  “It’s actually Dr. Mellark now.”

“You want me to call you that?” she asked, raising a brow.

“Well, I did earn it.”

She challenged him with a straight stare and small smile, and finally he raised his hands in surrender.  “Or call me Peeta.  Whatever.”

Ever the conversationalist, she asked if he still taught at the high school.  “Oh, no,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.  “I went back for my PhD after you graduated.  I missed the lab too much.  What about you?  What have you been up to in the last…” he paused thoughtfully.  “Damn,  _four years_?”

“I graduate next week,” she said proudly.

“Yeah?  Congratulations!  History, I assume?”

He remembered much more than she ever imagined.  “Yeah.”

“So what’s next?”

She ran her thumb along her bottle of Redd’s, avoiding his gaze.  “I’m going for my master’s in education.”

“Really?” he laughed.  “I actually think you’re perfect for that.”  He stopped smiling and shook his head.  “It takes a special kind of person to be a teacher, Katniss.  I definitely think you’ve got what it takes.”

“You don’t think you do?” she asked curiously.

“No, I was meant to work in the lab, I think.”

She took a drink, though it had grown warm a while ago, and swallowed thickly.  “I think you were a  _great_  teacher,” she admitted, and their eyes met for a long moment.

 

**

 

He was the worst teacher ever, she was sure of it.  It was as if he got personal satisfaction out of humiliating her.  But she wasn’t going to give him any more ammo.  She studied hard for the quiz on stoichiometry, and she thought she understood it, even though the book was kind of difficult to follow.  After she answered the final quiz question, she worried over her work.  It didn’t feel like an A, and she couldn’t afford another B.  The bell was about to ring, so she went over the last equation one more time and turned over her paper, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

The one thing she would give him credit for is that he was good about getting things graded by the next class.  The following day, she was more than a little nervous as she took her seat next to Delly, who only smiled happily at her. 

“The scores were pretty good overall,” he said, walking the room to return the papers.  “But there’s still room for improvement for several of you.”

Katniss nervously tapped her foot against the tile floor, sure she was one of the students he was talking about.  Could she have done that badly?  Maybe she did worse than before.  Maybe she got a C this time.

He didn’t even look at her when he placed the paper on her desk.  He moved quickly to the next student and she took a breath before she flipped over the quiz to see her grade.

_0/30.  See me after class!_

She quickly turned it back over with a shaking hand, willing herself to not cry.  Katniss had to fight back the tears the entire class, and as he lectured, all she heard was a sort of white nose buzzing in her ears.  Now she would be even more behind, she realized glumly, and her throat was burning from the exertion of trying to keep it together.  As the clock ticked down the minutes until the bell rang, she grew more apprehensive about staying after to see him.  He would love it if she broke down, probably say she deserved it for not paying attention in class.  She just hoped he would wait for everyone else to leave before embarrassing her.

When the time came, she waited awkwardly next to his desk as everyone else filed out of the room.  He gave her a small smile as he looked up at her from his office chair, and he opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

“I, uh, I’m normally a straight A student,” she said, pulling at the hem of her shirt.  “I’ll work really hard to bring up my grade.  This won’t happen again.”

“Katniss,” he sighed.  “I just think you need some help with stoichiometry.  It’s one of the hardest things you’ll learn in this course.  A lot of students have trouble with it.”  She nodded dumbly.  “Would you be able to say after school a couple days a week to work on it?  This is something we need to address before the exam.” 

She agreed, and then offered a quiet goodbye as she left the room.  At least that part wasn’t as bad as she thought.

 

**

 

He ordered another Redd for her and a Summer Ale for himself.  “I’d use the line ‘Come here often?’ but I know you don’t,” he said with a grin.  “So what brings you to this humble establishment tonight?”

She took a sip and shrugged.  “End of the semester.  Nowhere else to go.  I was always curious about this place.  Do  _you_  come here often?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, reaching for his beer.  “I catch up with some colleagues here every Friday night.” 

She looked over at the group he was standing with earlier, then back at him.  “So shouldn’t you be with them now?”

His face fell.  “Uh, yeah, I guess…”

Dammit, why was she such an idiot?  She didn’t want him to leave!  What was she thinking, saying that?  “Or stay,” she added quickly, and maybe a little too loudly.  “I’d…I’d like it, if you stayed.  You see them every week, right?  How often do you run into your favorite student?”

He sat back down, relaxed again.  “What makes you so sure you were my favorite student?”

“My yearbook inscription.”

He tossed his head back in a laugh.  “Ah, right.  Well, you got me there.  You were my favorite student.”

 

**

 

“Delly, did I ever tell you that you’re my favorite student?”

Katniss waited impatiently, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.  The first after-school tutoring session was today, but now she had to wait while Delly presented him with some snickerdoodles she made in Home Ec.

Delly blushed furiously, then smiled with everything she had, her round cheeks giving her the appearance of a happy chipmunk.  She told him to have a good day, then started for the door.  “Bye, Katniss!” she called back, as if they were old friends.  Katniss only scowled in response.

He took a cookie for himself and held out the container.  “Want one?”  She shook her head, flipping through the textbook to the first chapter on stoichiometry.  Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as he took a bite and grimaced.  She couldn’t help but crack a smile when he discreetly spit Delly’s gift into a napkin, shuddering at the lingering taste.

“Please don’t tell her I didn’t like them,” he asked, still pulling a face.  Katniss frowned.  Did he really think she was that awful?

“Afraid of embarrassing your favorite student?”  It came out even harsher than she intended.  His eyes narrowed in anger, and she knew that they were both thinking about the same thing.

“Do you think I embarrassed  _you_  today?”

She looked away defiantly, refusing to think about how humiliated she felt every time he yanked a book out of her hands during class.  He did it wordlessly now, just reaching over to grab it from her as he walked the room and lectured about conversions.

“How do you think  _I_ feel? You don’t show me any respect in this classroom, and you act as if you can’t be bothered to pay attention even though you’re clearly struggling with the material.”  His expression didn’t soften as he flipped over her quiz, and her stomach clenched at the sight of her failure.  “Turn to page 103.  We’ll start by going through the problems and converting atoms to moles.”

He went over it with her, step by step, but something still wasn’t clicking for her and they both knew it.  Mr. Mellark sighed.  “You’re going to have to stay after again tomorrow, Katniss.”

 A few times a week quickly turned into every day, and the first couple of them were especially difficult.  He asked a lot of her, his voice posing a question and then trailing off as he waited for her to supply the answer.  If she didn’t have one, she took it hard.

That second day, she actually cried in front of him.  She was horrified, but she couldn’t fight it anymore.  The fact was she didn’t get chemistry; even now, when she was really trying, she didn’t  _get_  it.  She was going to fail the class and lose her rank.  All her work was for nothing.

“Hey,” he said comfortingly, scooting his chair closer to hers.  “It’s okay.  We’ll figure this out.”

“I have a D in here,” she said, angrily wiping at her eyes.

“After a few quizzes!  I drop your lowest score anyway.”

“I wanted you to drop the B,” she sniffled.

Mr. Mellark shook his head, laughing quietly to himself but not at her.  “You’re very smart, Katniss.  If you’re determined to figure this out, you will.”  He ran a hand through his hair, sharing her frustration.  “I just have to think of a better way to make you understand it.”

And he did.

Sometimes it helped when he would draw it out for her.  Sometimes he used online tutorials from his university.  Sometimes he had just had to explain the same thing, again and again but in different terms, until it finally made sense to her.  But he never made her feel stupid.  No, she was the one doing that, chastising herself for being a failure in a voice that sounded eerily like her mother’s.

On the last quiz before the exam, she earned a 93%.  He drew a smiley face  _and_ a star and told her that he was thrilled with this improvement, and there was no fighting the grin that spread across her face as he praised her.

They continued to meet after school so she could keep up on the work before the first exam.  There were a few times when other students joined them, but they were usually alone, and she much preferred it that way, anyhow.  At first she told herself it was because she benefited from the one-on-one instruction, but she soon realized that she just liked spending time with him.  She even started telling him things about herself, or sharing stories about her little sister or late father, and that wasn’t like her at all.  She even stopped reading her books in class.

“These are much better,” he said, nodding in approval as he chewed on the Halloween sugar cookies Delly had just brought him.  “Are you sure you don’t want one?” 

She shook her head, and went back to working through the problem set as Mr. Mellark gobbled down two more of them.  “You sure are enthusiastic about baked goods,” she noted.

He smiled as he took another bite.  “My father actually owns a bakery.  It’s in my blood.”

“Your dad owns a bakery?” she asked, intrigued.  She wanted to know more about him, too.  It seemed only fair now.

“Yeah, in the city.  Mellarks Bakery.  Ever been?”

“No.”  She punched some numbers into her calculator, then scribbled them on her paper.  “So why didn’t you go into the family business?”

“I love baking and the art aspect of it, don’t get me wrong, but the chemistry behind it all is what fascinated me.” 

Her brow wrinkled in confusion.  “Chemistry in baking?”

“Well yeah.  Like the proteins in flour- glutenin and gliadin.  Add water, and they bond to make gluten.  Then when you knead the dough, it builds gluten networks that make it rise.”

“Okay,” she said doubtfully as she finished up an equation.  “If you say so.”

“Oh come on, it’s really amazing.  The entire process is a chain of chemical reactions!  Yeast feeds on the sugars in dough, and it releases carbon dioxide and alcohol.  Then there are the other leavening agents, like baking soda and baking powder…”

She stopped her work to watch him as he happily rambled on about acids, fats and sugars, or how he finally convinced his father to weigh ingredients instead of using volumetric measurements, and how  _that_ was now the Mellark family secret to the best bread around.

God, he was  _cute,_  she realized in horror as he continued on.  He had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen, and she was just now noticing them behind his thick frames.  And his smile!  It was so sweet, yet shy. 

The way he talked about the things he was passionate about was too adorable.  Really, she could listen to this all day.

She inched her chair backwards, shocked by her own inner thoughts.  Katniss Everdeen did  _not_ get crushes, especially on unattainable teachers.  She wasn’t going to be like all of those other girls in the class, staring up at him with starry eyes, sighing softly as he turned to face the board. No, she was going to be the valedictorian.  She didn’t care how handsome this man was, she wasn’t going to fall for him.

But it was too late.  After that day, she was a goner. 

 

**

 

She might have aced Honors Chemistry back in high school, but it wasn’t helping her any now as he discussed his research.  It didn’t matter though, because he still got that same look in his eye when he talked about something he loved.  He was so earnest and enthusiastic, a true expert in his field, but there was also a promise of an underlying intensity that nearly stole her breath.

They had ordered dinner together, but it was long gone, and they both traded in their ales for coffee.  She thought talking like this would remind her more of their after school tutoring sessions, but she was not that young girl anymore, and now they were both capable of adult discussion.

But damn, there was still a part of her that would climb him like a tree.

“So,” she began in the most innocuous manner she could imagine.  “Are you married?”  Ah, there was no way that question was ever going to sound innocent, but she needed to know.  She had scoped out his ring finger before he even sat down at her table earlier that evening, and though she was excited to see it bare, she wasn’t going to rely on that alone.

“Uh, to my work, I guess,” he chuckled, stirring more cream into his coffee.  “I’m sure you can imagine how thrilled my parents are.”

“Why’s that?” she asked, smiling back at him.

He shrugged.  “They’re desperate for grandkids.  It’s a sickness, really.”

“Oh.  Rye and Graham don’t have any kids?”  She froze for a second, but he didn’t seem to notice.  Was that weird?  Should she remember his brothers’ names after all these years?  She didn’t get freaked out when he brought up Prim; so far, he didn’t seem to care about her creepy memory.

“Graham doesn’t, but Rye has two sons.  They’re on the other side of the country, though.”  He folded his arms on the table and ducked his head, but his eyes stayed locked with hers.  “What about you, Miss Everdeen?  Did you meet any nice boys in college?”

There was something about his tone that had her clenching her thighs. 

 

**

 

Her legs were locked together at the knees as he peered over her shoulder.  “Did you remember to convert the mass to grams?” he asked, reviewing her lab report from behind her.  He was so close that she could feel the heat radiating off of him; she could even smell his aftershave.  She  _loved_  the smell of his aftershave, a mix of manly aromas that she couldn’t identify to save her life.  Sometimes when she was in the drug store, she would sniff all the cologne testers, hoping to find it.

Once she could admit to herself that she thought Mr. Mellark was attractive, she accepted and embraced her crush.  And why shouldn’t she?  She was a teenager after all, and this was perfectly normal.  Also, she actually  _knew_ Mr. Mellark, so she wasn’t just being shallow like all other simpering girls.  Maybe they could all admire the way his ass looked in his brown corduroy pants, but her feelings had a little more substance to them.

Every day she looked forward to class just so she could see him, and a random, earlier glimpse of him in the hallway was enough to send her reeling.  One day after school, when he sneezed and sniffled as they went over a problem set, she figured he was catching a cold, but it still didn’t prepare her for the upset of finding a substitute in class the next day.  Figuring he wouldn’t call in sick two days in a row, no matter how much he needed it, she made him soup for the next day.  But she  _wasn’t_  like Delly, she reasoned. 

She listened to his lectures with rapt attention, and she aced every quiz, exam, and lab report.  When it seemed absurd even to her to continue the tutoring, she offered to be his lab assistant.  Ms. Wiress always had one, she told him with an evasive shrug.  But she was secretly thrilled that now she would be able to see him before school, to help prepare the weekly lab,  _and_ after to clean up.

“You’re a life-saver,” he said one day as she scrubbed out beakers at the sink.

“It’s nothing.”

He stood next to her and loaded up the drying rack, his arm brushing against hers as they worked.  “No, it really is.  I appreciate it.”

She turned to look up at him, startled to find his eyes locked on her.  The navy gingham button-up he wore really brought out the color in his eyes, even when they were hidden behind his glasses, and she stared right into them, mesmerized.

The sound of running water was the only noise in the room as they remained at an impasse, neither of them willing or able to be the first to look away.  His lips parted as if he was about to speak, but he said nothing.

Finally he shook his head and pushed away from the sink, leaving Katniss stunned and alone as he marched to the chemical room.

But that look got her off for  _weeks_.

 

**

 

The coffee had her stone-cold sober, and if she was going to go for this, she needed just a little bit of liquid courage.  She ordered a shot of whiskey at midnight, and it was enough to give her that happy, warm and light feeling that she craved.

He continued to sip on his coffee across from her, still watching her with amusement after she downed the shot.  “Did that hit the spot?”

She still didn’t have the balls to respond to that with what she wanted to, so she smiled coyly instead.   “I had a huge crush on you in high school, you know.”

“You did?” he pressed, leaning forward on his elbows.

She nodded shyly, not quite able to meet his eyes.  Maybe the whiskey wasn’t working after all.  “I did.”

He settled back in his seat and loosened his tie.  “Good to know.”

She was 22, about to graduate summa cum laude.  Didn’t she deserve to go for this?  Summoning all the courage she could muster, she looked him dead on and licked her lips.  “Want to get out of here?”

If her assertiveness shocked him, he hid it well.  He stood immediately and grabbed the check that the waitress had dropped off long ago.  As he headed toward the bar, she hastily packed up her things and vowed that she wasn’t going to back out now.

He led her out of the pub and to his car, opening the door for her like a true gentleman who was hopefully going to fuck her brains out later.  Damn, was she really going to do this?  Was she really going to go home with  _the_  Mr. Mellark?  He was virtually a stranger, even if he was the reason for her sexual awakening at 17.

As he slid into the driver’s seat, she folded her hands nervously in her lap.  Her bag and the center console separated them, and she wasn’t sure how this was going to work.  They obviously weren’t going to his place to play Scrabble, but they haven’t even touched yet.

Katniss laughed when 2 Chainz began playing as soon as the car started, and it was a welcome reprieve from the doubts creeping in.  “Sorry,” he said, hitting a button on the steering wheel to lower the volume.

“You keep surprising me,” she admitted as he pulled out of the parking lot.

He grinned back at her.  “Well,  _I’m different_.”  She laughed again, pulling her bag into her lap and hugging it protectively.  

“I live in a townhouse a few blocks away.”

“Okay.”

When they pulled into his one car garage, she thought she was going to be sick.  Maybe that whiskey was a bad idea, or maybe she was starting to realize that she wasn’t the type to indulge in one-night stands.

The garage led into the kitchen, which was small but completely updated, and he offered her another drink but she held up her hand and shook her head.  She wandered into the living room and dropped her bag on the brown leather sofa before looking around.  The whole place was nice, with wooden beams across the vaulted ceiling, and an entire wall of exposed brick.  It was way nicer than the apartment she shared with Johanna.

She slipped past one of the open doors in the hallway, expecting to find his bedroom.  That would be easiest way to go about it, she figured.  Nothing was as blunt as walking straight into his bedroom. 

But she found herself in his office instead.  A set of bookshelves comprised one entire side of the room, but it was mostly filled with textbooks and labeled binders.  There was one sad shelf dedicated to actual books, and she triumphantly plucked his copy of  _Wolf Hall_ off of it.  The fifth page was dog-eared, and she tsked softly to herself.

She jumped as he grabbed the book out of her hands and threw it on his desk.  “That used to piss me off  _so_  much when you did that,” he said as he stepped closer.

“That was the point,” she said challenging, though she inched backwards as he continued to move forward.  She gasped when her back hit the shelving, and he leaned in, effectively pinning her against the wall.

He placed his hands above either side of her head, trapping her further in his arms, and whispered in her ear, “So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?”

Screw her nerves, she still wanted this.  She tilted her chin up to look him square in the eye, refusing to be startled by the proximity.  “What I really want is for you to call all the shots tonight,” she admitted, but she spoke with confidence to let him know that it wasn’t a request out of shyness, but rather a game she wanted them to play.

“Well,” he began thoughtfully, his nose nuzzling her jaw, “I could fuck you right here on my desk.  That’d certainly be fun.”  He slowly pushed off the book case and then took her hands in his, placing them both on his chest so she was finally touching him.  “But I don’t want this to be over so soon.”

She watched as she ran her hands up and down his shirt, her breath hitching at the feel of his hard muscles.  He leaned in to kiss her, his lips gently pressing against hers before he gave in and it intensified.  As his tongue licked at the seam of her mouth, she clutched at his shoulders and sighed.  Katniss had thought about doing this a million times, but the reality of it was so much better than she ever imagined.  He was a great kisser with firm lips that moved confidently with hers, and as the tips of their tongues touched, she gave in and sagged against him.

When he broke the kiss, she was left in a daze, but suddenly his hands were at the back of her thighs and lifting her up.  She took the cue and wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning in relief as she grinded against his stomach.

He carried her out of his office and into the next room, where he lowered her to his bed and untangled himself from her.  She watched hungrily as he pulled at his necktie.  “Take off your clothes,” Peeta commanded.  “Everything but the bra and panties.”

Reaching down to slip off her ballet flats, she continued to stare at him as he unbuttoned his dress shirt, and their eyes remained locked on the other as each undressed.  He looked like he was about to pounce when she lifted her peasant blouse over her head, but he took a deep breath and toed off his sneakers instead. As he undid his belt, she lowered the zipper of her jeans, pausing to try to remember which underwear she was wearing.  She was fairly certain she bypassed the comfy (but far from sexy) briefs she usually favored, but she wasn’t expecting a hookup tonight so there was zero chance they matched her best bra.

“Katniss,” he said, bringing her back in the moment.  “Take them off.”  He reached down to pull off his socks as she acquiesced.

Pale pink cotton boy shorts, she realized when she pushed her pants off her hips.  But then Peeta had his undershirt off, and there went any rational thought at the sight of his bare chest.

He pulled off his belt and then climbed onto the bed, slowly crawling toward her.  She was annoyed because he kept his jeans on, but then his lips found hers and she was too busy to scowl.  Her nails clawed at his shoulders as he settled between her thighs, and she arched her back, desperate for the denim’s friction against her clit.

“Lean back against the headboard,” he said, his lips moving from the corner of her mouth to her ear.  As she sat up, he removed his glasses and placed them on the nightstand.  “Can you still see me?” she teased, trailing her finger over the top of her breasts.

“I can see you perfectly.  Now show me more.”

She reached behind her to unhook her bra, but he shook his head.  “No, keep it on.  But spread your legs.”

Katniss did as he said, loving the way he was taking the lead at her request.  She desperately wanted to be reminded of how she felt all those years ago, even if their roles were much different now, and his firm tone was getting her there quickly.

Already more turned on than she’d ever been, she licked her lips and opened her legs even wider.  She was so wet that her underwear was visibly damp, and he moaned when he saw it.  He stood on his knees at the foot of the bed, still maintaining his distance from her.  “Did you think about me when you touched yourself?”

“Yes,” she admitted, her fingers already gliding down her stomach.

“Do it now so I can see.”

Her hand dipped below the waistband of her panties, the tip of her index finger grazing her clit.  She moaned softly, her toes curling in pleasure, and brought it up to repeat the motion.  The underwear was restricting her movement, and she would much rather it be his fingers in action, but it still felt incredible. 

“Do you want me to call you Mr. Mellark?” she asked, teasing again, and his lips curled upward, though his eyes were still locked on her fingers moving rhythmically under her panties. 

“I told you, Katniss.  It’s Dr. Mellark now.”

Her eyes fell shut as she increased her speed, all of her focus now on her clit.  There was something so thrilling about doing this in front of him; it energized her now, emboldening her movements and finally pushing her over the edge.

“Oh yes, Peeta!” she cried out as she came, her back arched as the orgasm washed over her in tiny waves.  She felt the bed shift as he moved on top of her, and he pulled her hand of her underwear and brought it to his mouth, greedily sucking her arousal off of her fingers.  “Dr. Mellark,” he repeated when he was done.  “You never did listen very well.”

“Yes I did,” she argued, her eyes popping open. 

He chuckled as he moved over her, his hand skimming the cup of her bra.  She twisted upward, biting her lip in pleasure. 

“Fuck,” he growled, taking her earlobe between his teeth and nibbling gently.  “You’re gorgeous.  I’ve always thought you were gorgeous.”  His hand circled behind her for the clasp of her bra, and after he deftly unhooked it, he pulled down the straps to expose her to him.

She chanted his name again and again as he kissed her breasts, and when his tongue circled her nipple, she wound her fingers in his hair to pull him closer.  “Come on,” she begged. Finally, he sucked the peak into his mouth, his fingers digging into her hips as she nearly arched off the bed.  She cried out, her nails scratching roughly at his scalp, and then asked for more.

He trailed open-mouthed kisses from one mound to the other, repeating the action as she writhed under him.  She could feel him rock hard against her thigh, but she wanted to see him and touch him, too.  Tired of the foreplay, she tugged at her underwear, waiting for him to take the hint and remove them for her.  He gave in reluctantly and reached down to pull them off completely.

“On your hands and knees,” he said huskily, and she moved quickly to obey.  There really were a lot of different things she wanted to try, things she could only fantasize about before, but the need to feel him inside of her was overtaking everything else.  And fuck, she loved doggie-style, so once she was in position, she wiggled her ass enthusiastically and waited for him.

Katniss gasped in surprise when his tongue parted her folds, and she looked down to see the top of his head between her thighs.  “Oh, god, yeah,” she said, rocking back on her knees to straddle his face.  She gently rolled her hips, gasping every time his tongue swiped over her clit.  But she was so wet and so sensitive that it was hard to find the right pattern she needed. 

She climbed off of him, ignoring his protests, and settled back in her previous position.  The mattress squeaked as moved behind her, and she turned her head to watch as he unzipped and pushed down his jeans.  He grabbed a condom from his wallet, and she listened to the rustle from the wrapper as he tore it open.  “I want you to come again,” he said, rolling it down his cock.  “I want to feel it.”  He grabbed her hips and thrust forward, and they both cried out as he entered her. 

“Faster,” she demanded.  “Harder.”

He gave in, pumping into her in quick, rough motions that already had her on the precipice of another orgasm.  The sound of their fucking was doing it for her, too, and she grabbed at the comforter, twisting the soft material in her hands as she panted against it.

“Tell me how much you wanted this,” he demanded, his voice rough.

“Every night,” she choked.  He held firm onto her hips, rocking into her with a strong, steady rhythm.  Her elbows gave out, and she fell forward, her palms sliding out in front her.   She pressed her mouth against the bed and screamed, the new angle driving her crazy.

“Did you want me to be your first?” he asked, continuing to thrust relentlessly.  The only thing she didn’t like about the position was not being able to see him, but it felt so impossibly good right now that she hardly cared.

“Yes!” she admitted, pushing back against him.   “I never thought about anyone before you.”

“Fuckkk,” he growled, moving more sloppily now, and finally his carefully constructed façade was starting to break.  “Come on, Katniss,” he urged.  “Come for me.”

She was getting close but she wasn’t quite there yet.  He felt so good, though; so thick and hard and unrelenting, and it was even better than she imagined.  So she told him so, uncaring if that made him lose it before her.  She wanted to do this right, to finally leave the confines of her comfort zone and go for exactly what she needed.  Moaning in appreciation, she went on about how big he was, about how wet he was making her, about how no one else has ever fucked her so good.

She could tell he was losing control, but he still held on, not yet ready to relinquish this role.  “Jesus,” he cried out, moving even faster behind her.  “I would have given up everything to be with you like this.  I wanted to fuck you right on my desk, so many times.  I wanted to twist my hand around your braid and watch as you rode me.”  He grabbed her loose hair now, gripping the dark tresses in his fist as he bucked forward, hard.

“Almost, almost,” she panted, trying desperately to get there first.  Her entire body tensed, her arms stretched taut as they held her up again, and his words were still echoing in her mind.  Finally she came, shouting his name as she fell apart.

She collapsed into a boneless heap on the bed, allowing him to use her to find his own release as she desperately tried to catch her breath.  He still held her by her hips, leaning over her and thrusting hard.  “Ahhh,” he moaned, moving faster.  “I’m gonna come.”

Decided, she twisted out from underneath him, spinning to face him and reaching for his cock.  She pulled the condom off and took him in her mouth, the last spurts of his cum hitting the back of her throat.  Ignoring the taste of latex, she sucked gently, loving the way he was calling out in surprise as his fingers tangled in her hair.

They both fell against the mattress, breathless and exhausted, and it was a long time before could make the effort to move and cleanup.  He kissed her cheek, grinning, and motioned to the door on the other side of the room.  “Bathroom’s over there.”  He pulled back the covers and climbed under them, kicking off his jeans before settling in.  She wondered what the hell she was supposed to do now.  If this was a one-time only thing, which it probably was, then what was the protocol?  She’d never done anything so crazy before, and she wasn’t exactly sure of the etiquette involved with in a one-night stand.

She used the bathroom and then cleaned herself, the reality of what she just did, and with  _who_ , finally hitting her.  Feeling more than a little embarrassed, she snuck back in to the darkened bedroom and blindly searched for her clothes.  It was after 3 a.m.  She’d have to call a cab.

“Katniss, what are you doing?” he asked tiredly.  She froze, not sure herself, and he held out his hand to her.  “Come on, come to bed.”  She dropped the jeans she was clutching in her hands, not even sure if they were hers or his, and relented.  So she would sleep here for the night and then call a cab in the morning.  Or maybe he’d want to drive her home.  Whatever.

She climbed in behind him, stupidly realizing that they were both still completely naked, and turned to face away.

Her eyes fell shut just as he reached over and pulled her closer, her back now flush against his chest.  So they’d spoon for a while, too, she guessed.  That was fine.  Actually, it was even better than she wanted to admit.

He nuzzled her ear and then yawned.  “Next time, you’re on top.”

Again, she froze. 

Next time?


	2. chem ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A one-shot from my other FFF story, Chemistry, dedicated to dirtytalkingpeeta for her birthday. Happy Birthday, Shannon!

“Katniss?”

“Mmmph.”

“Katniss.”

She felt a light slap on her ass, and then the pillow she buried her head under was cruelly pulled off of her.  “Time to get up-”

“Five more minutes,” she begged, burrowing further beneath the covers.  He laughed as he stretched out next to her, and when she smelled his soap, she opened one eye to glare at him.  Sure enough, he was already showered and dressed.  Well, not quite dressed, but he had on clean flannel pajama pants and a black t-shirt. 

Katniss reached out to tousle his still damp hair, and his eyes closed contently as her short nails gently scraped against his scalp.  She seized her opportunity and shut her eyes, too, falling back asleep almost instantly. 

“Katniss!”

She bolted upright, panicked.  “What?”

“It’s been five minutes,” he answered with a contrite smile.

She scowled at him, officially grumpy now.  “You know, there is no worse sound in the world than your own name being called as someone tries to wake you up.”

Peeta laughed lightly as she curled in closer to him, desperate to stay in bed.  It was Saturday, dammit.  It was unnatural to wake before 9 a.m.

“What do you want me to call you then?  I never figured you were one for pet names.”

“I’m not,” she insisted, eyes still closed.

“Rise and shine,  _Dear_.”

“Shut up.”

He wrapped her up in his arms, kissing the top of her head.  “We should get moving, Snookums.”

She pressed her cheek hard against his chest, refusing to acknowledge him.  “Sweetie,” he began again.  “I got a frappe for you.”

Well, why didn’t he just say so in the first place?

She groaned as she rose from the bed, pushing him off as she rubbed her tired eyes.  That second round of reverse cowgirl at 3 a.m. was a bad idea, even if she couldn’t quite bring herself to regret it.

Her favorite drink was waiting for her in the kitchen, and she hopped up on the center island, flinching when she felt the cold granite meet the back of her thighs.  She tugged on the hem of her black nightgown, but the flimsy material didn’t offer much protection.

“Mmm, thank you,” she said after taking the first sip.  It was already helping. 

He moved to stand between her legs, his hands settling on her knees.  “You’re welcome,  _Honey._ ”

She set her drink down and then ran her hands up his chest, resting them on his broad shoulders.  “Baby,” she said teasingly before licking her lips, “knock it off.”

He pushed her down against the countertop, undeterred, and she laughed as he nuzzled her neck.  “What’s gotten into you, anyway?” she asked with a smile.

“Two frappes with extra shots of espresso,” he admitted before kissing along her collarbone. 

She laughed again but pushed him off of her.  He might have found the energy to get showered, put in contacts, and hit up a drive-thru, but  _she_ was still exhausted.

He held his hand out to help her down, and she kissed him chastely before heading to the master bath.  It was starting to get hard to hide how nervous she actually was about today.  She played it off all day yesterday, thoroughly convincing Peeta that she didn’t think it was a big deal. 

It was, though.  She was meeting his family today for the first time.  That was a _very_  big deal.

What Katniss had imagined would only be a one-night-stand, a single sexual fantasy realized, had turned into her first real relationship.  She had intended to write Peeta off, but the week following their night together, on the morning of Katniss’s college graduation, he had flowers delivered to her doorstep, and the accompanying note was so sweet that she decided to give in and call him.  Nearly five months later, they were practically inseparable.

Which meant that they couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer.  With Peeta’s long hours in the lab and Katniss starting graduate school, she was able to avoid meeting anyone but his brother up until this point.  But his other brother and nephews were visiting from California this weekend, and his parents insisted that it was time they all met her.  Sure, Peeta had already gotten to know Prim, and even suffered through a dinner with her mother.  But this was different. 

Katniss stood in front of the mirror above her sink, staring pitifully at her long, dark hair.  Did she leave it down today?  Pull it back in a high ponytail?  Twist it into an elegant chignon?  Which style would make his mother hate her less?

While she contemplated her options, Peeta sidled up next to her, gazing at his own reflection in the other mirror.  “Pookie, should I shave?” he asked, rubbing his face.

He definitely had some stubble.  It might have felt great between her thighs last night, but they both needed to look their best for today.  “Yes,” she answered firmly, still tugging on her tangled tresses.

Peeta sighed as he grabbed his shaving cream, and Katniss bit her lip when she looked over at him.  “Here,” she said, taking it from him.  “Let me.”

She moved around him to grab his razor and a couple washcloths off the shelf, and then she turned the faucet to fill one of the double sinks with hot water.  “You want to shave me?” he asked as she wet the cloth and then covered his face with it.

“Hey, I’ve indulged plenty of your fantasies.”  She smiled as she held the steaming towel against his skin to soften the coarse hair, and he laughed from behind it.  “That is true.”

"And we’ve got time." 

 He lifted her onto the countertop between the two sinks, leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose as he pushed her hair off her shoulder.  “Then by all means,” he said, tugging off his t-shirt.

So she lathered his face with the foam, but as she raised the razor, he intercepted and gripped her wrist.  “I hope you’ve got a steady hand, Cupcake.”

He released her as she huffed, “I always have steady hands.”  Peeta grinned at her, his eyes roaming over her body.  Willing herself to stay focused, she wove the fingers of her free hand through the hair at the nape of his neck, and then gently pressed the razor to the stubble near his sideburns.  Her forearm was against his hard, bare chest, but she refused to be distracted by him, instead concentrating on the light, downward movement of the blade as she worked.

"You’re good at this," he said in awe as she dipped the razor in the sink between strokes. 

She shrugged, and then started on the area below his jawline.  “I always wanted to try it.”

"Well, it  _is_  oddly erotic.  Then again, when you’re involved, pretty much everything is erotic.”  He chuckled, gently squeezing the tops of her thighs.  “That’s one of the things I love about you, Sugar.”

She froze up for a second, but recovered quickly.  He was doing it again.  Not the annoying nickname thing; he only began teasing her with that this morning.  But the “love” thing started a while ago, and had grown at alarming frequency in the past weeks.  Looking back, she was the one to start it, but that was in bed (or on his desk, or couch, or in his kitchen).  She got it going by saying how much she loved his cock or how he fucked her, all things said in the throes of passion, all an attempt to keep up with him and his mouth.

But now he liked to tell her all the things about her that he loved, and it was never just her firm ass, or how her tits fit perfectly in the palms of his hands.  No, he loved her laugh, her smile, her book recommendations that he actually read.  He adored her scowl, how enthusiastic she was about food, the way she doted on her younger sister, and how strong she was to have dealt with all she had in the past.  Every time he mentioned another thing he loved about her, she would brace herself, anticipating those three little words next.  She wasn’t sure what scared her more: that he seemed so close to telling her it, or the fact that she felt the same way about him.

When she finished, she soaked the clean washcloth in cold water and wrung it out, then softly wiped the remaining shaving cream off his skin.  He rubbed his now smooth face, beaming at her.  “Thank you.”

"You’re welcome," she said quietly, and then he leaned in to kiss her again.  Her breath hitched as it intensified, his tongue darting out to seek hers, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers seeking his thick hair once more as she melted against him.  His hands, which had been resting innocently on her knees, now slid under her bottom to pull her closer, and she sighed happily, hitching her legs along his hips.  She could feel him hard against her center, and it was her undoing, like always.  No one else had ever evoked feelings like this, no one had ever made her so hungry for more.  "Peeta," she whimpered against his mouth as her fingers clawed at his back.

He carried her into the bedroom, but before he could move on top of her, she climbed off the mattress to get on her knees.  All she wanted was to take him into her mouth again.  It was by far one of her very favorite things to do, and the feel of him earlier had set her off.  She loved the way he felt in her hands, the way he tasted, the words he said and the sounds he made, the way he looked at her as he watched…

“Relax,” she said, beckoning him to the edge of the bed.  She undid the single button on the front of his pajama pants, then reached inside for him, boldly licking the head of his cock once he was hard in her hand.

He moaned deep in the back of his throat as she engulfed him, and his hands went to her hair, holding her in place as she worked.   Peeta liked it when she pumped him in her fist while sucking, so every part of him was encased by her.  But she knew his favorite thing about it all was her enthusiasm, how much she absolutely loved going down on him and seemed as pleasured by it as he was.  Her eyes never left his as she worked, and she took him deeper with each thrust of his cock past her lips.  She could tell that her little squeals and sighs were pushing him closer to the edge, so she released him and used her hand for a moment; he was slick with her saliva, so her palm slid easily up and down his length until she lowered her mouth to him again.

“I’m close,” he warned, gathering her hair in his fist.  She moved faster, desperate for him to come in her mouth, but he pulled her off of him with a groan.

She knew what he wanted now, so she stood so he could reach under her nightie to pull down her panties.  Ever since they stopped using condoms a little while back, Peeta only wanted to finish inside of her.  She loved it, too, and neither had ever experienced sex without a barrier before, so it was special.  But sometimes she missed the feel of him shooting deep into the back of her throat, and that salty and sweet taste that was so uniquely Peeta.

Katniss straddled him, lowering herself onto his cock.  He gritted his teeth at the sensation, obviously trying to make it last longer, but she was solely focused on him right now.  “It’s okay,” she said, kissing his cheek as she bounced up and down in his lap.  “Come for me.’

He gripped her hips, slowing her down.  “When we get home,” he panted.  “I’m fucking you all night.”

“Mmm, is that a promise?”

He nodded, and she arched her back, rocking slower and more deliberately as his hold on her tightened.  “Jesus,” he groaned.  “You feel incredible.”

“So do you,” she agreed, moving fast again.  He was nearly there, and she urged him on with kisses.  His arms wrapped around her, holding her still against him, and then he came with a strangled sigh, his fingers digging into thighs.

They fell back together on the bed, spent.  Katniss snuck a peek at the alarm clock on the bedside table and sighed.  There wasn’t any real time to snuggle up against him this morning.  He wouldn’t get the chance to absently twist a strand of her hair around his finger, or gently massage her back as they recovered.  She couldn’t rest her head on his bare chest, or trace the benzene ring part of the tattoo extending across his inner bicep.  No, there was no time for any of that.  Because today she had to meet his entire family.

"Are you nervous?" he asked, seemingly reading her mind.

"Yes," she confessed in a whisper against his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head.  “They’re going to love you.  How could they not?”

There it was again, she so leaned in to shut him up with a kiss, and that seemed to do the trick.  “We should get going,” he said sadly a couple minutes later.

"Yeah, I need a shower.  You could probably use another one now, too."

He laughed lightly as he sat up.  “You just want to get me naked again.” 

"True.  Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"Anything," he vowed, unable to resist kissing her again.

"Take out the contacts?"

 He laughed, louder this time.  “Darling, I think you have a fetish.”

They showered together, Peeta teasingly fending off her advances, even as he spent a good three minutes thoroughly soaping up her breasts.  He stepped out before she did, getting ready as she tackled her long, thick hair.  She decided to pull it back, and after blow-drying and styling, she added a little makeup, and then dressed in the pencil skirt and blue silk blouse she had carried into the bathroom.  When she emerged to grab her heels from her overnight bag, Peeta was sitting on the edge of the newly-made bed, already dressed and lacing up his oxfords.  He looked up and whistled lowly when he saw her.  She could have done the same; he was wearing Dockers and a collared shirt with a light blue sweater over it, and just as she asked of him, he put his glasses back on.  “You look beautiful,” he said as she sat next to him.

She wasn’t exactly sure what compelled her to say what she said next, but she had to get it out.  “I love you,” she whispered, leaning in to softly kiss his cheek.

Now it was his turn to freeze up, and her heart seemed to stop for a moment before his face broke out into a wide, relieved grin.  “I love you, too, Katniss,” he said, still smiling.  “I’ve been wanting to say it for forever now.”

She sighed in relief, resting her head gently on his shoulder as he double-knotted his other shoe.  “Can’t we call in sick?”

He exhaled loudly as he stood.  “I don’t think so, Buttercup.  But it’s gonna be fine.  We’re in this together.”  He held out his hand to her, helping her to her feet. 

She laced her fingers with his, and took a deep, calming breath.  “Together.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For didntheramble, on her birthday (or a week late, haha). Many thanks to her and misshoneywell for prereading.
> 
> This picks up right where the last chapter left off....

“There is one thing you should know before we go in there,” Peeta said as he pulled into the driveway. 

She eyed him skeptically, waiting for him to continue. It was a pleasant drive to his parents’ house, but his nerves seemed to set in as soon as they turned onto the picturesque street. Once the immaculate two-story colonial came into view, he looked sick.

“What?” she pressed, suddenly feeling as anxious as he looked. Her mind raced with ideas as she tried to predict what he was going to say, as if imagining the worst would prepare her any if that’s what she got. “What is it?”

“I may have stretched the truth a little about how we actually met,” he admitted, his eyes downcast.

“What do you mean?” she asked, suspicious.

“I mean, I may have totally lied to them. They don’t know you were once my student.”

“Oh.”

“And I really don’t want them to know,” he added, looking away.

This annoyed her. “And you’re telling me this now?” 

“It’s really not a big deal, right?” He tried to charm her with a sweet smile, but she wasn’t having it. He bristled under her stare, retreating hurtfully from the prominent scowl on her face.

“Are you ashamed of me or something?”

“What?” he asked with wide eyes. “No! Of course not!”

“Then why did you lie about us?”

He sighed dramatically as he gripped the steering wheel and stared out at his childhood him. “My parents are pretty conservative, Katniss. I was just trying to avoid any awkwardness. It has nothing to do with you or how I feel about us, I promise.”

She huffed in exasperation but gave in. “Fine. So where did you tell them we met?”

“Bible study.”

“Peeta!” 

“Just go with it,” he said with a grin before leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Thanks! I love you!” She didn’t have a chance to respond before he was out of the car, and then he was opening her door, waiting expectantly for her to join him.

He took her hand as they made their way down the cobblestone path to the front porch. She felt sick in that moment, sure that they were all going to hate her before she spoke a word to them. 

As soon as Peeta opened the front door, the sound of children laughing echoed down the hallway and back to the steps where Katniss was waiting nervously. He held his hand out to her, beckoning her to him, so she took a deep breath and walked forward.

She looked down at the gleaming hardwood floors as she followed Peeta into the house, which was surprisingly warm and welcoming with its smell of freshly baked bread. He led her through the entryway into the family room, where two little boys with dark blond hair were sprawled out on the floor as they played with Legos. 

They were so entranced by whatever it was they were building that they didn’t even hear Peeta as he snuck up on them. When they were within his reach, he grabbed the smallest boy and swept him up into his arms. “Surprise!”

“Uncle Peeta!” the other child cried happily, scrambling to his feet and lunging forward to wrap himself around Peeta’s leg. Peeta tossed the little boy in his arms up in the air, laughing with him as he caught him, and then hugged them both tightly. Katniss stood next to the fireplace, watching it all with a content smile, and once Peeta had greeted his nephews, he turned them in her direction.

“Guys,” he said, “this is my girlfriend, Katniss.”

Gone was all the boisterous energy as soon as they saw her, and they both looked down at their sneakers and mumbled very shy hellos. 

Katniss was kneeling to their level, about to greet them, when the rest of his family joined them. She watched shyly as a flurry of relatives flocked around her boyfriend. It was easy enough to discern who was who. She waved to Graham, whom she’d already met several times, then eyed the parents with trepidation. Peeta’s mother was so busy fussing over him that she hadn’t acknowledged Katniss yet. But his father was approaching her now, and she sucked in a nervous breath as he held out his hand. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Katniss,” he said, and she hoped he couldn’t feel her sweaty palm as they shook. 

“It’s nice to meet you, too.”

After managing to get away from his mother, Peeta introduced Katniss to Rye and Rye’s wife, Sadie. Then she got to say a proper hello to his nephews, who continued to act bashful in her presence. 

Mrs. Mellark hovered near by, inching closer to her but then retreating again. It reminded Katniss of a wasp threatening to sting, and the instinct to run off was a strong one. She tried to keep her attention on Graham and not his mother.

But then she was the only one left to speak with, and Peeta slipped his hand in hers to pull her in the woman’s direction. When she was standing directly in front of the Mellark matron, she smiled uneasily and offered her hand.

“Oh it’s so nice to meet you!” the woman cried out happily, moving in for an embrace instead. Katniss was frozen in her arms, too shocked to return the hug, but then his mother was releasing her just as quickly. “You two have been together nearly six months and we’ve never even talked.” She lightly slapped Peeta’s arm, adding, “Shame on you!”

“That’s probably my fault,” Katniss insisted. “My graduate program started in the summer and I just haven’t had much free time.”

“Oh, that’s right!” she said, clasping her hands together in delight. “You’re working hard at school.” The woman ignored Peeta as she slipped around Katniss to guide her into the dining room. “You’ll have to tell us all about it at dinner!”

Katniss looked over her shoulder at Peeta, terror written on her face, and he just shrugged back at her, no help at all.

~*~

There didn’t seem to be much interest in her curriculum, though. After fussing over her grandsons and piling their plates with the cheese pizza she ordered especially for them, his mother took the seat across from Katniss rather than at the head of the table, opposite her husband. 

“So you want to be a teacher!”

Peeta pulled out the chair next to her as Katniss nodded, and they shared a smile as she felt the relief of his nearness dissipate some of her anxiety.

“That must mean you like children.”

“Oh, Jesus,” Peeta groaned, but he straightened immediately after his mother shot him a look. “Thank you for this meal. Amen.”

The boys took that as a sign to dig into their food, and Katniss looked on as Sadie tried unsuccessfully to feed them their salads first.  
“Children are wonderful,” she replied, not quite able to meet his mother’s eyes as the serving bowls were passed around. Peeta’s hand was on her knee, squeezing it reassuringly. 

“Children are wonderful,” his mother agreed. “And they grow up so fast. You don’t realize it as a parent until it’s too late. But that’s why grandchildren are such a blessing.” Under the table, Peeta’s grip tightened considerably.

“So what are your plans with the boys?” he asked cheerfully, expertly redirecting the conversation.

She relaxed and enjoyed the food as his parents discussed all the things they were going to do with their grandchildren- who they never saw enough, his mother emphasized repeatedly- while Rye and his wife were in town that week.

Graham Mellark, who sat at one end of the table and happily chewed on his roast beef, seemed to be exempt from any talk about kids. Katniss knew it was because he didn’t want them, and he had long ago shut down his parents on the subject, which is exactly why they were so desperate for Peeta to procreate as soon as possible.

She took another sip of her wine. Then another. It was only a matter of time before the attention was back on Katniss.

“Done,” the youngest little boy announced as he pushed his plate of pizza away.

“Joseph, you hardly touched your food,” his mother admonished. “At least finish that slice.”

He shook his small head defiantly, and his grandmother rushed to assure him that was perfectly fine. “Save room for dessert,” she told him, and everyone at the table watched as Sadie’s jaw clenched.

“And after dessert,” she added, oblivious to her daughter-in-law’s feelings, “We have another surprise for you!”

Rye protested then, insisting that the Legos were enough. “They’ve got too many toys as it is.”

“But they’re gifts from Meemaw and Pop!” his mother lamented. “We hardly see you; just let us spoil them a little.” Before either parent had a chance to reply, she added that they would see them even less when Henry started school next fall, so they had to make their time with the boys now count that much more.

Both Rye and Sadie grew quiet, and then Mrs. Mellark’s eyes were on Katniss again. “There are so many good schools around here,” she told her. “Do you hope to find a job locally or were you planning on moving?”

It was as if she and her husband were both holding their breath as they waited for her to respond, and when she informed them that she hoped to work nearby in order to stay close to her sister, they relaxed visibly.

“That’s a wise decision, dear. It’s always good to be near family. And if you and Peeta were to have children one day, you’d have family to help take care of them.” She looked pointedly at Rye as she said, “No sense in wasting thousands of dollars on those awful daycares.”

Sadie excused herself to take a business call, the boys were dismissed from the table to go play, and Peeta’s arm was draped over the back of her chair, the hand that was once on her knee now massaging her shoulder.

“These are things Katniss and I haven’t even discussed yet, Mom,” he said. “Let’s not do this right now.”

To her credit, she appeared a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I guess I got carried away. We’re just both so happy that Katniss is very…mature.” She shared a look with her quiet husband and then leaned in closer over her place setting, speaking as if her next words were only for Katniss’s ears. “When Peeta told us how old you are, we didn’t know what to expect.”

“Peeta never told us about anyone he was dating,” his father added. “But he talks about you all the time.”

Now it was Peeta’s turn to look embarrassed. He cleared his throat and then shifted in his seat, both signs that he was getting antsy. “Is Mrs. Coin still working at Paylor Junior High? Katniss will be student-teaching there in January.”

“She is!” Mrs. Mellark said, her blue eyes twinkling. “She’s been there for years. Well before Peeta was born. If you’d like, I can arrange a lunch date so you can meet her and talk.”

It was actually a very nice gesture, one that Katniss could benefit from greatly, and she agreed quickly, effusive in her thanks. His mother wasn’t so bad after all.

“I think it’s great you’re going into teaching,” she told her. “We’ll always need teachers. Especially good ones. Honestly, we were very disappointed with Peeta’s decision to change careers.”

She could feel Peeta tense beside her, and she immediately felt bad that this complimentary attitude toward Katniss was coming at his expense. Besides that, she knew it was utter lies anyway. Peeta told her long ago that his mother never wanted him to go into teaching, that she wished he’d be a medical doctor instead. He’d been concerned about that haughty attitude tonight, all the talk about grandchildren aside.

“He’s an amazing chemist,” Katniss said, reaching over for his free hand and caressing it sweetly. He stared down at their entwined fingers and smiled softly in thanks.

“I’m sure he is,” his mother replied. “But where is the job security?”

Katniss nearly snorted in disbelief. He worked in pharmaceuticals! But before she had the chance to point out his mother’s absurd worry, Peeta laughed lightly and squeezed her hand again to let her know he was fine.

“Maybe I can be a kept man if this whole chemistry thing doesn’t work out,” he joked, eyeing Katniss.

She nearly made a teasing comment about how he could earn his keep, but thankfully remembered his parents’ presence before the words passed her lips. Instead, she told him that he could always go back into teaching.

“I wish he would consider that,” his mother said. “He seemed to love it so much.”

“Never seemed happier,” his father added as he scooped more mashed potatoes onto his plate.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as he looked away, releasing her hand so he could continue eating his dinner. But she didn’t understand what his parents meant. He told her himself that he wasn’t meant to teach, elaborating later that it wasn’t what he anticipated it to be, that it wasn’t the right fit for him, that he was much happier in research and development.

The conversation turned to Rye and Sadie’s work, then to Graham’s plan for the bakery. Katniss was asked more questions about herself, which she answered thoughtfully, but the topic never returned to teaching or her relationship with Peeta.

~*~

Hours later, they said their goodbyes to his family, everyone exchanging hugs at the door. She did like everyone, and she was relieved that it went well, but she didn’t feel like she could truly breathe easily again until she was back in Peeta’s car.

“That wasn’t too bad,” Katniss admitted as Peeta turned the key in the ignition. Some annoying rap song was playing on the radio and he smiled over at her as he fastened his seatbelt.

“Are you kidding? That was amazing. They love you.”

Katniss demurred; if his parents loved anything about her, it was probably her uterus. But it still felt good to get that initial meeting over with. “And they still don’t know how we actually met. That’s a victory.” Before he could say anything else, she added, “How long do you think we can lie about that, anyway?”

He considered it for a moment and then shrugged. “I don’t know. But tonight was not the night to reveal it.”

Just as he was about to pull into reverse, there was a knock at his window, and there was his mother, smiling as she tapped on the glass. Before pressing on the power window switch, Peeta discreetly hit a button on his steering wheel to change the radio station, and Mozart’s “Symphony No. 40” replaced Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights.”

But his mother was oblivious to it all as she passed the Tupperware containers of leftovers through the window, and they each thanked her again before pulling out of the driveway.

Maybe appearing happy as a teacher was just another of Peeta’s act, she thought as they drove home. She glanced over at him, hoping he’d be more truthful with her than he was with his family, and asked why he went back for his PhD if he enjoyed teaching so much.

“I just wasn’t meant for it,” he sighed, his eyes still on the road.

“But if you loved it, and you were good at it, how were you not meant for it?”

He was quiet for a few minutes, which only made Katniss more curious about his true motivation. “Peeta?” she pressed. This wasn’t something she was just going to let go.

“Good teachers,” he finally said, “do not become infatuated with a student.”

It took awhile for her to process what he was saying, and even longer to formulate her response. “You better be talking about me.”

“I am,” he laughed. 

“So…infatuated?” 

His thumbs were rubbing against the steering wheel nervously, and she became transfixed on them as they curved over the top and then circled back down. He was stalling, she realized.

“I told you this before.”

She thought back, hard, and no, he most definitely did not. He may have said things in bed that very first time they were together, but Katniss thought it was all part of their little game. The fact that he really had felt the same way she had, that his feelings were so strong he actually gave up his livelihood, turned her on instantly.

She unhooked her seatbelt and slid as close to him as possible with the gearshift between them. “I can’t wait to get home,” she told him, leaning in and whispering in his ear. “Remember what you promised me earlier?”

He licked his lips as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

She reached over to undo his belt buckle, and he groaned softly as she unfastened it and popped the button open. “Better keep your eyes on the road,” she teased as she lowered his zipper and slipped under his arms to settle over his lap. It definitely wasn’t the most comfortable position, but she was desperate to have him in her mouth, and she just couldn’t wait until they were back in his bed.

He didn’t protest at all as she pulled his cock free and licked the underside of his shaft. The first taste of him on her tongue spurred her need for more, so she took him completely in her mouth, her head bobbing rhythmically. One hand that was on the wheel went into her hair, and he arched his spine as she continued to suck him off.

Nothing would ever top this in her mind. She loved teasing him, but she really loved pleasuring him. He gave into her completely every time she did this, and the power she wielded in those moments always brought on the first stirrings of her own climax. Now she made a game of it, moving faster and with more purpose just to see how quickly she could make him come.

“Oh, fuck,” he muttered, his fingers massaging her scalp, which made her hair come loose from the high ponytail she had it in all day. She relaxed her throat to take him deeper, urging him to finish soon. “Almost,” he gasped, his entire body tensing. “Almost.”

She moaned in contentment as the first spurt of his cum hit the back of her mouth, and she swallowed eagerly, never easing up until he was completely spent. She had missed it so much, the taste of him, and it made the uncomfortable position and tingling in her arm well worth it to her. Now she knew a way to always guarantee this- just get him behind the wheel first.

She moved back to her seat, smoothing her hair and catching her breath. He was quiet the rest of the drive, but he kept looking over at her with an intensity that promised they were far from done for the night.

When they were finally back in his bed, he took it slow, thrusting into her with long, teasing strokes as his hands and mouth worshipped every inch of her body within his reach. He told her he loved her, kissing her softly as his hips pressed her deeper into the mattress, and she returned the words in a sweet whisper against his neck.

After, as he stretched out behind her, his arm draped over her waist and her hand clasped with his, she couldn’t fight the smile on her face. Being with him always felt so right.

She hadn’t imagined it being the way it was after what she had done in the car. There was a part of her that had wanted him to be a little rougher. To talk more. To tease more. A part of her that wanted to hear all his old fantasies about her now that she knew they were real. And she wanted to fuck him on top of his desk, his hand twisting her long braid as she acted out all of her daydreams, too.

She wanted all of that, and as they fell asleep together, she knew she would have it. 

Soon.

~*~

A couple weeks later, as Katniss was reading over articles for her classroom management seminar, her mind kept drifting to Peeta. She was stretched out on his couch as he worked in his office, and she thought back to all the recent times he had helped her with her coursework. He’d been through the same program before he began teaching at her high school, so he was more than happy to work with her whenever she needed the assistance.

Oh, all those missed opportunities that she now mourned. There were so many times they were in his office, side-by-side at his desk as they pored over the material together, and while she immediately made the connection to her senior year, she never once took advantage of it by acting out what she only dreamed about as a teenager. It seemed that even now she was too damn studious for her own good.

But Peeta hadn’t made any moves then, either. Thinking back on it, aside from that very first time together, he hadn’t ever really brought up her schoolgirl crush. It was one of the reasons she was surprised to learn that he really had felt the same way then, too.

Not that their sex life was lacking at all. They did it on nearly every surface of his home, including his desk and other areas in his office. She indulged him anytime he asked for a certain position, or when he coaxed her into talking with him about everything she liked. She wore lingerie for him, repeatedly pleasured herself in front of him, and eagerly woke him up in the morning by using her mouth and hands all over his body.

They never discussed any fun student/teacher scenarios, though. She didn’t playfully call him Mr. Mellark again in bed. He didn’t ask her to dress like a schoolgirl. And, most regretfully, she never found out what he was really thinking about her all those years ago.

Good thing they were now in a healthy adult relationship, because she wanted to find that out. For once she was completely confident that they were in the place to do so.

She set the papers aside and headed for their bedroom, not even pausing to consider that she now referred to it as their bedroom. A few days ago, when they met her roommate Johanna for dinner and drinks, Jo asked if she’d be returning home any time soon. Peeta had snuck up behind Katniss at that point, and he confidently answered no, she would not before placing a kiss on her exposed shoulder.

Sometimes when she actually wore clothes to bed, she slept in her old tees from high school, so she dug through her set of drawers to search for one now. After finding one and putting it on, she wove her hair into a thick braid and removed any hint of the makeup she had put on for the classroom. Now she looked as fresh-faced as she was at 17.

She knocked gently at his door before letting herself in, and he looked up from his laptop and smiled. “Hey you.”

He was still wearing his work clothes, a light grey checkered dress shirt and dark slacks, and she paused near the door, appreciating the look. “Uh, do you have a minute?” Or hours? she thought, because she was going to need plenty of time with him tonight.

“For you? I guess I can pencil you in.” His easy smile dropped as he studied her standing nervously near the exit. “Why’d you knock?”

She was such a lousy actress. It took a moment for her to compose herself and adopt the old timidness of her teenage self in his presence. She ignored his question and slowly moved closer to him, her journal articles clutched tightly in one hand. “Do you have time to help me with this?”

“Of course,” he said brightly, rolling his chair away from the desk and beckoning her to him. She supposed he meant for her to sit in his lap, like she normally did if he was helping her with something like this, but Katniss Everdeen, student, would never sit in her teacher’s lap, no matter how much she might have wanted to.

He pulled her down before she had the chance to protest, and she sighed to herself, because this wasn’t going to work out the way she intended it to. But as soon as she was in his arms, she kissed his jaw, and his smile grew as he dropped her papers onto his desk and kissed her back with more vigor. “Need a break?” he asked against the soft skin of her neck.

Her eyes closed in contentment as his lips roamed further, and she clutched his hair, panting already. “Peeta?”

He mumbled “Mhmm?” but didn’t stop kissing the column of her throat. 

“I don’t want to make out like this.”

He pulled back immediately, a mix of trepidation and confusion on his face. She calmed him with a reassuring kiss and then clarified herself. “I mean, I want to try something else.”  
She settled herself more fully in his lap, her body curled against his chest as she played with the end of her braid. He looked down at her shirt and then ran his hand along her hair, taking that in, too. “What do you have in mind?” he asked quietly, but she was pretty sure he already had the idea. He didn’t exactly look excited about it, though. 

Katniss extracted herself from his arms and reached for the other desk chair in the room, rolling it closer and then sliding out of Peeta’s lap to sit on it instead. She straightened her clothes then grabbed her papers from his desk, again asking for his help. Despite the hesitancy on his part, she hoped he would understand and just go with it without needing explanations or prompting.

“So what did you need help with, Katniss?” he asked seriously, leafing through the article and giving it a quick onceover. 

She reminded herself that this had the potential to be everything she wanted, they just needed to bypass this initial awkwardness first. “I’m still having trouble understanding stoichiometry.”

He laughed, then reached across his desk for a fresh piece of paper. He made up some quick equations and then went through them with her, effortlessly slipping back into his role as teacher. “Okay, so if the quantity of product can be empirically determined…”

“Do you have time for this right now?” she asked seriously, resting her head on his shoulder as he flew through the example problem.

He looked over at her and smiled sweetly. “I always have time for you.”

She moved back and pretended to study the equation. “What would you have done if I did this?” Her eyes were still on the paper but her hand moved to his thigh.

He continued to look over the paper and not at her. “Probably this,” he said with a light laugh before rolling the chair a few more inches away from her. Her hand dropped off his pant leg and she pulled her arm back, unsatisfied by her inability to fluster him.

“And what if I had done this?” she asked, sliding closer again and reaching up to adjust his glasses. She always wanted to play with his glasses.

“Katniss,” he told her, firmly grabbing her wrist and pushing it away. “It’s not appropriate to touch me. If it happens again, these tutoring sessions will stop and I’ll go to the principal.

He was so damn good at this, she thought with pride as she sat up straighter. The rough way he handled her sent a wave of warmth down her body, and she felt her nipples tighten beneath her ratty old National History Club tee.

She continued, fully charged now, and moved in to run her hand through his thick hair. He’d probably be getting it cut soon, so she savored the feel of the slight curl at the ends as she threaded her fingers with the silky strands. She used to go to bed with dreams of doing this, but now she was free to do so whenever she pleased. 

“What if I did this?” she whispered, pulling his hair lightly and loving how his jaw clenched in response.

“Then I would have done this,” he said lowly as he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her onto his lap. His strong hands roamed from her waist to her breasts, and she cried out when he roughly rubbed her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. “What if I told you I didn’t know how you could always look so fucking good in a tee shirt and jeans? There were girls who barely covered their asses, but I didn’t give a damn about them. That was the only thing that kept me sane.”

“What if I told you that you could do anything you wanted to me?” she asked, her mouth open and a hairbreadth away from Peeta’s. He moved in to kiss her but she pulled back, teasing. Her mouth hovered near his, her hot breath tickling him as she withheld her lips from touching his own. Their eyes stayed locked as he tried one more time to catch a kiss, but she easily evaded him.

“Anything but kiss you?” he challenged, and she smiled shyly back at him until she gave in, her eyes drifting shut as she softly pressed her lips to his. It quickly evolved from sweet to desperate, their need to be as close as possible superseding everything else.

She was grinding against him, enjoying the pressure from of his pelvis against her clit as she rocked her hips, when he broke the kiss. “I used to think I’d go crazy if I never found out what you taste like,” he confessed, his breath hitching every time she pressed against his cock. He spun them around in his chair and then lifted her onto his desk. She was incapable of speech as he tugged her yoga pants down her legs, her heart thrumming in anticipation even though she had experienced this hundreds of times with him already.

As he pulled her to the edge of his desk, her legs splayed wide open for him, she thought back to how she felt when she was in his class. It was a thrill any time he even looked at her. Any accidental touch- her foot bumping his beneath the desk, her elbow brushing against him on her way to the supply closet- was enough to set her on fire. 

She never had the imagination to picture this, but she had fantasized about what it would feel like to have him inside of her, wondering if he would be sweet or rough and hoping he was both.

“Feel, Katniss,” he told her, drawing her hand between her legs so she could touch her damp underwear. “You love this, don’t you?”

He didn’t give her the opportunity to respond, just pushed the panties aside and dipped his head for the first taste. Her head dropped back on the table, her eyes screwed shut tightly as her entire lower body tensed.

Peeta went down on her like it was his job, as enthusiastic as if he were on the receiving end of the pleasure. His tongue moved over her folds with expertise, teasing but pleasing in just the right way. But in Katniss’s mind, she was experiencing this for the very first time, a shy virgin spread out before the only man she ever lusted for.

“Do I taste good?” she asked innocently as she stared up at the ceiling.

He tore her panties for easier access, tossing the ripped material carelessly behind him. “You taste better than I ever imagined,” he said before lowering his mouth to her again. His focus was on her clit now, strong strokes that had her back arching off the desk. As he slid his thick finger inside of her, she thought the intense pleasure might cause her to pass out.

Suddenly she was 17 and in her own room, tucked under the covers and trying desperately to get herself off to his image. But she didn’t understand her own body enough to know how to do it, and she’d grind her teeth in frustration, wishing more than anything that he was there to help her.

“Please make me come,” she begged, not even aware she was speaking those words. “Please. Please make me come.”

He sped up, his finger pumping in and out of her body, as desperate to make her climax as she was to do it. Her thighs, quivering uncontrollably, cradled his head. Every molecule of her being was focused on him and the precipice she was so close to toppling over. 

Finally the first wave broke, and her body shuddered violently as she cried out. She sighed in relief as the last ripple washed over her, carrying her away on a cloud. It was exhausting, coming so hard. Her eyes popped open just as he flipped her over on her tummy, and her elbow knocked one of his folders to the floor, but he didn’t seem to care at all about that. 

“I’m not done with you,” he told her, and she looked over her shoulder to find him lowering the zipper of his navy Bowery slacks. He slapped her ass, hard, and then pulled her hips to his groin. She moaned loudly, begging him to do it again, and he complied as he thrust into her.

It seemed a shame to have this all reduced to a quick fuck, but her intense orgasm left her sleepy, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to come again so soon. Peeta probably wouldn’t be able to hold out too much longer, either; he was already pumping into her frantically, his hips snapping against her backside as his fist curled around her braid.

“Fuck, you’re going to kill me someday, Katniss,” he told her.

“Mmm, now why would I want to do that?”

She knew he was almost there by the way his fingertips were digging into her flesh, and then he was crying out her name, his body rocking against hers as he came inside her.

He fell forward, effectively pinning her underneath him as his forehead rested against her spine. “You like that game, don’t you?”

Yes, yes, fuck yes, she thought, hating that it was already over. The confirmation to him was a much more demure agreement, and she listened as he caught his breath, and then his arms were wrapped around her.

“You know I’m not with you to fulfill some fantasy, right?” he asked, his cheek pressed against her hair, his heart beating against her back. “You’re everything to me.”

“I know,” she told him as her eyes fell shut. “That’s how I feel about you.”

“As long as you remember that, we can play this any time you want, and I’ll tell you every filthy thought I ever had.”

She smiled to herself, her body already stirring with want again. “Okay,” she agreed quietly, but the plans were already forming in her mind. 

They were only getting started.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr as cinnamonanddildo. Thanks for reading!


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